In Debt
by YGOfangirl4ever
Summary: After Ryou offers his freedom to a thief for the purpose of saving his friend, what awaits him if a life of abuse and slavery. But will he be able to change fate and warm a heart, or will he forever suffer at the hands of this man?WARNING: includes YAOI and Scenes of abuse, torture and non-con. Don't like, Don't read!
1. Chapter 1

_Summary: When the life of is friend, his only friend in the whole world, is in danger, Ryou is ready to go to any extent to save his friend. Even give his own life. So when he whitnesses the actions of a certain thief, and gets his life threatned by the man, he finds that he has nothing else to lose. So he makes a deal. In exchange for help with saving his friend, he gives himself to the thief. Is he going to live in slavery? Is the thief goin to end his life slowly and painfully? Whtever the man chooses, the boy has to live with it and accept it._

_So everyone, this is my second posted fick, and it's going to be tendershipping. I hope you enjoy^_^! And BTW I'm also going to post a puzzleshippin fick very soon, as well as a non-yaoi you're interested, please check them out after I post them ^_^._

_"HELP! Someone, please help me!" A boy was running on the empty streets, tears streaming down his face. "Plase... help me..." the boy continued his pleeds, hoping that someone would come to his aid, but somewhwere, deep inside his mind, he knew that would never happen. Why would it? After all, no one's ever cared about him, nor looked at him as a person, no one's ever been kind to him, or helped him out in need. So why would they start now? But he couldn't just give up. He couldn't stop, and give up all hope. Not this time, anyway. Because this time, it wasn't about him. This time, his friend's life was on the line. His only friend. The only person that got close to him ever since... "Please! Someone... Anyone! Help!"_

_But it was pointless. No matter how much he tried, and called out for help, and kept hoping, the truth was one. It was late. Allmost midnight. No one would hear him at this hour. And even if anyone would, they wouldn't give a shit about it. That was the reality- cruel and unforgiving to the weak. He slowed down in his running, slowly stopping completely, and standing on the spot. His head was down, his white hair covering his brown eyes, now full of tears. He started crying, his sobs fillin the silence on the streets. He was alone. Again. His only friend was going to die, and he couldn't do anything about it. he cursed his weakness and his inability to help. He felt so useless. Now more than ever. Why was fate so cruel to him? What has he ever done wrong to deserve this life? He allways cared about others, helping everyone he could, even if someone who bullied him would have a problem, he would try to help. He never hurt any living being. So why was this happening to him? Was he some kind of a comedy show for the gods or something?_

_He screamed in frustration, his cries and sobs intensifying. He was about to fall to his knees, and stay there, in the rain that he hadn't even realise that started, when he saw something. With the corner of his eye. A movement in the shadows. There, on the building next to him. One of the windows opened, and through it... someone came out. Through teary eyes, he saw the person's white hair, that standed out in the complete darkness. The someone climbed down the building on some... black... rope, and landed perfectly at the bottom._

_'A thief!' Ryou thauht, terrified. He stepped back slowly, trying not to make any sound or sudden movement, as to alert the other one of his presence. However the long run and terrible crying were catching up to him, adding to the shock of seing the thief, and he found it more and more hard to breathe. After a few steps back, his panting became very loud, and he could just pray that he wouldn't be heard. However like allways, his luck decided to turn his back on him, as the white-haired man turned around and looked straight at Ryou._

_'Oh no...' the boy thaught, feeling his legs become limb as the men stepped closer._

_"Who are you, and what the hell are you doing here?" the man asked, his voice deep and threatening. _

_"I-I... I..."_

_"I'm waiting! Did you see __**anything?**__"_

_"I-I... no..."_

_"Because I couldn't have any possible whitness alive, now could I?"_

_"No... I-!"the teriffied boy couldn't manage to put two words together._

_"So tell me!" the man practically growled. "What did you see!" Ryou was about to say something, when the man stepped in the light of the street-lamp, letting the boy see all his traights. The boy gasped in shock. The 'man' was actually a teenager, maybe two years older than him at the most, but that wasn't the shocking part. This __**teenager**__ looked almost exactly like him! His long, white hair even more wild than his own, his brown eyes a bit more red and a lot crueler and his traits more pointy than his own, but overall, they could very well be twins!_

_For a split second, the same shock could be seen on the thieve's face also, but it disppeared almost imediately, as he was very experienced with cocieling his thaughts._

_"Well, I see you're not able to speak to save your life. Well than, there's no reason to hold back. After all, it won't bother me at all to have some more casualties. It makes everything more- fun." the thief said with an evil grin._

_'Oh god... what have I done...'_

_"So? Any last words?" the cruel man said walking even closer, pulling out a knife from his pocket and moving it so the blade was reflecting the light from the lamps._

_"No... Please..." Ryou whimpered more to himself. 'Wait!' he thaught. 'If it's like this, than... well, I'd have nothing to lose...' so he faught to gather all his courage and form a few coherent words. "Wait...!"_

_"Oh, so... The boy has a voice. What do you want? To beg for your life? Go ahead, it'll only make it so much more fun for me." he said with a sadistical laugh._

_"No... I... Help me..." the boy managed to say in the end._

_"Huh? Help you? And why should I do __**that**__?"_

_"Because... I'll... make a deal..."_

_"A deal, huh? Let's hear it. What do you think you could possibly offer me?"_

_"What you want. You want to have fun by kiling me, don't you? Well than, y-you can do it. I'll let you. I won't try to r-r-un away."_

_"And why would I want that? I can kill you here and now, and I don't need any deal to do that."_

_"Than- I'll give myself. You can do whatever you want with me." the boy let his sight to the ground, not noticing the shock obvious on his look-alike's face. "I'll be- completely in your hands. Just help me- help me save my frind. Please. He's about to be killed..." at this, two tears rolled down on his cheeks, and to the ground. "Save him. Save him, and I- I'll be yours. Save him, and let him free, and then, I'll be yours. To do what you want. Just please... please, save my friend!" he finished, not able to hold back his tears anymore._

_'Is this guy serious?' the thief thaught. 'He's willing to just give himself away like that just to save his friend? How stupid can you get? But anyway, I'm not one to complain. He's willing to give himself away to me, just like that? It's not such a bad offer. It's been some time since I had any real fun, this could really turn out to be worth it. I'll have my personal puppet, slave, to do as I please. How lucky can I get?'_

_"So, you're telling me that if I save your- friend, you're going to just give yourself away, to become mine? So if I chose to kill you, you wouldn't fight me." the boy visibly flinched when he heard about the killing part, but he nodded, not taking his eyes from the ground._

_"Okay than. It really sounds like fun. I get to beat someone up, and in exchange, get a personal slave. You've got a deal. And don't forget what you said, I'm going to keep you to it. Now where is that- friend of yours?" he was ince again visibly disgusted at mentioning that word._

_"We-weeere- at the paark." he answered, his voice trembling. "They a-attacked us. They left me there b-buut they took Yuugi with them. They allways had aaa problem with him. They say that they'll maake him wish hee- was dead, and only aafter hat, finish him off aat the b-bridge." the boy was trying desperately to not let any more tears fall. This was not the time for that. No. Right now, he had to focus on finding and saving his little friend._

_"Don't move." the thief caused him to raise his head. "If... __**they**__(whoever __**they**__ may be)- said they were finishing him off at the bridge, than there's only one possible place. And we're not getting there in time in any conventional ways. So whatever you do, don't move." With this, he raised his hands above his head, and weird enough, his hands seemed to be... emmiting... darkness. Than, Ryou realised that he couldn't feel the rain anymore, and that the air seemed to become heavier, and all around him, the darkness seemed to ba raising and surroundin him completely. Just what the heck was going on? We was about to step back, when he remembered what the thief told him, that no matter what, he shouldn't move. So he stayed there. He wouldn't normally trust a thief, but this time, he didn't have a choice. He had to save his friend. No matter how weird and confusing tings might get, and no matter who he had to trust and what he had to do, he would save his friend. If he had to give his own life for that goal, than so be it._

_He yelped when he found himself completely surrounded bu darkness, but still, he didn 't move from that spot. After some time, he wasn't sure exactly how much, the darkness finally dispelled, and he found himself releasing a moth of air he hadn't realised he was holding. But the moment he blinked and saw his suroundings, his mouth dropped and his eyes widened in shock. When in the world did they get there? Wherever 'there' may be._

_He realised they were at the base of some old bridge, next to a forest. The bridge was huge, and led to the top of a big cliff on a very small island, with a small forrest of it's own, and a weird shrine on top. Eberything there seemed to be ancient, and, dare he say, even haunted. _

_Than it storke him. __**They**__ said they were going to finish Yuugi off at 'the bridge'. This looked like the perfect place to murder someone without leaving suspicions; this was (probably) 'the bridge' they were talking about. But that didn't answer his quescion as to how in the world did they(becuse aparently the thief was there too) ended up in that place. He was about to quescion the teen, when he heard a sudden screamof pain. He had to thoroughly restrain himself from yelling after his friend, who'se scream he had recognised in an instant._

_He found the source of the scream a few meters away. The bullies that had caught Yuugi were hiding in the forest, in a small clear-up of trees. His small friend was in the midle, the bullies completely surrounding him from all directions. The boy was allready battered up, and Ryou could barely stop himself from crying at the sight. He had bruises all over his face, his clothes slightly ripped or dirtied evry here and there, but the worst thing were the cuts all over his face and body and the blood running wildly out of them. Ryou was downright terrified, when he felt a firm hand on his shoulder pressin him down and puting him to his knees._

_"I'm going to take a guess and assume that the battered up shrymp is your friend, right?" the thief asked without even looking at the teen. Ryou just noded, than moved his gaze back at the horrifying sight of his covered-in-blood friend. He felt a sudden movement next to him, and the next thing he knew, the thief was there, next to the bullies, punching one of them, causing him to fly right into a tree, takin two of his comrades with him. The others were shocked for a second, before charging full of fury against the skillfull thief._

_Ryou closed his eyes, not willing to see anyone else battere down like his friend, especially knowing that this time, it was completely his fault. He heard all sorts of noises. Screams of pain, punches, kicks, bodies hittin the ground, growls, shouts of fury... after a while, the noises finally ceased. He managed to find the courage to open his eyes, and what he saw amazed him, to say the least. There was the tief standing, holdin the limp body of his friend in his arms, unconscous bodies of bullies scatered all around the place. Once again, darkness began to form all around him, cluding his sight and hardening his breathing. When it cleared, he found himself once again on the street he had met the thief._

_Said thief walked closer to the boy and set down the ody in his hands. After a few seconds, Yuugi began regaining consciousness, and slowly opened his eyes._

_"Yuugi!" Ryou exclaimed as soon as his friend completely opened his eyes._

_"R-Ryou?" he asked, somewhat confused. "What... what's going on? Wasn't I..."he stopped, remembering what has happening before he found himself next to his friend. "Ryou? What happened? How in the world did I get here?" the small, tri-color-haired boy exlaimed allarmed._

_"It's okay, Yuugi. I managed to find help for you." the teen smiled sadly._

_Only than did Yuugi notice the other presence standin next to them. He tried to stand up, but a sudden pain in his right foot forced hi to sit back down._

_"Yuugi, you shouldn't fore yourself right now. Just... let your body rest a little."_

_"Yeah." the boy answered with a nod. "By the way, thanks... for helping me out." Yuugi said to the misterious stranger._

_"Whatever. I've kept my part of the deal, boy. Time for you to do the same." he said coldly._

_Yuugi looked utterly confused. Deal? What did he mean by that... 'Oh God, please tell me he didn't...' "Ryou? What does he mean by that? What... deal?" he started asking, completely terrified by the time he said that last word. "Please tell me you didn't... do anything stupid."_

_"No, Yuugi." Ryou shook his head, making the boy sigh in relief. "Nothing is too much when it comes to you. You now I'd do anything in the world to protect you. So if I can't do it with my own two hands, than I have to find some other way to do it. Nothig- is too much for you, Yuugi." he said, crushin the boy into a very tight hug. "Thanks. For everything. For being my friend..." a tear fell streamin down his face._

_"Ryou..." Yuugi felt the tear on his shirt. The hug was making his new wounds pulsate in pain, but he ignored it. He got a feeling that he should make the most of every moment he ot with his friend. "Ryou, tell me... What- did you do?" he could feel a few tears formng in the corners of his eyes, but he didn't have the energy to try and hold them, so he just left them free._

_"It's okay, Yuugi. Everything will be okay." the white-haired boy told his friend while releasin him from the hug, and rising up from the wet cement. He couldn't say anything else, because he felt a tight grip on his wrist as he was pulled away from his friend. The try-color-haired boy didn't manage to say another worsd, onlt sitting there, looking as his friend walked away pulled by a total stranger, with both surprise, concern and outright fear entitled on his child-like features._

_"Take care" he saw Ryou mouth, before the teen was completely engulfed by darkness._

_And so, the brown-eyed boy walked away dragged by the thief, leaving his friend alone and utterly frightened on the dark street._

_Well then, everyone, please tell me what you think about this! I really really hope you all liked the first chapter. I'm just warning you, thre's going to be Ryou torture starting from the next chapter, but in the end, this will be tendershipping ^_^ Pleease R&R Anything you think, tll me, it's fine, though I would apreciate it if you wouldn't flame..._


	2. Homecoming

_Tenshi: Yay, episode 2 is already done ^_^_

_Yume: Well, that was quick._

_Marshmallon: Tell me about it._

_Tenshi: Marshmallon? What on the tail of Bastet are you doing here?_

_Marshmallon: Well, I thaught I would check on what my trusted writer is doing in her free time._

_Tenshi: Look, Marshmallon-san, I know you are the founder of SAVE Yu-i-Oh! And my boss during work for season 6, but that doesn't give you the right to come bursting into MY storry! Yume, tell her!_

_Yume: Well that's... Wait, what did you just call me?_

_Tenshi: *sweatdrop* Ya-mi...?_

_Yume: You called me Yume! I can't belive it! You've been using that name all along for me? *checks previous chapter* I can't belive you did that! I told you not to call me that! I have my own screen-name!_

_Tenshi: Well sorry for trying to have people to like you, Coppy-Cat. XP_

_CoppyCat: Well that's better._

_Marshmallon: Sorry to interrupt, but shouldn't we go on with the storry?_

_Tenshi: Well, Marshmallon, since you're new here, how about you do the disclaimer?_

_Marshmallon: Sure thing! If Tenshi-chan owned Yu-Gi-Oh! than there would be a lot of sexy boy couples, and a lot more tendershipping. What does that tell you? That's right. She doesn't. She only owns this plot, and her Ideeas. Though with your help, we might get to own a part of Yu-Gi-Oh! and bring forth season 6, together..._

_Tenshi: Ok, that's enough of that. Thanks ^_^ Now on with the storry..._

"Stay here!" the thief ordered, throwing Ryou into a room, and closing the door behind him. When he found himself alone, the boy started to check his wrist, wich was now paining(is that even a word) because of the strong grip the tief held on it. After a short inspection, he decided that it was probably nothing serious. It was a little red, and it still hurt, but it would probably go away after a while.

After deciding that, he started inspecting his surroundings. He was in a very simple room. A bed with white sheets sit in a corner next to a small night-stand with a lamp on it. There was also a window with no curtains, and a table with, like the floor, a layer of dust on it, leading the boy to belive that the room hasn't been used for quite a while. Behind him, close to the door, in a corner, stood a simple wooden closet.

"Well then... Wellcome home. I guess..."

Soon, the thief opened the door and stormed into the room, taking the boy by surprise. He sit on the bed causing a cloud of dust to raise from the matress, and he started talking:

"Now that you'll be living here, there are certain things that need to be settled. First of all, what is your name?"

"Ry-Ryou... Bakura." the startled boy stated.

At that, the thief visibly flinched.

"Did you say- Bakura?"

"Y-yes..."

'Not just that he looks like me, but he also has the same name as me? What's next?'

"I see. Well than, let's settle the rules. It's simple really. From now on, you only do what I tell you to do, when I tell you to. Try to escape, or do anything to step on my nerves, and I guarantee I will make your life a living hell. Belive me, I have countless ways of inflicting pain on you. Do _**not**_ test my patience." Saying this, he rose to his feet and walked to the window, puting a hand on it. Once again, his hand seemed to emit some sort of darkness, and before long, the shadows in the room started _**moving**_ towards the white-haired man. They climbed up over the window, and as soon as they clard up, Ryou noticed 1 thing was different. The window was comletely grilled up, blocking anyone from entering or exiting the room that way.

The boy was staring wide-eyed at the window, unable to comprehend what he had just whitnessed.

"It's called shadow magic. I can manipulate darness and bend it to my will. There are a lot of uses, but you do not need to know them. Get used to this, because it will happen a lot. Now I have a few quescions for you to answer. First of all, your familly. Will they cause me any sort of problems because of your disappearance?"

"My... You don't have to- worry about my- familly. They won't be a problem." The boy's voice was shaking, and his gaze met the floor again.

"Your friends?" The teen's eyes lowered even more.

"No... They-won't be... a problem."

'Why is he so depressed? Just what in the world is the deal with this kid?

"One more thing. Do you go to school?

"Yes..."

"I see. Well then, from now on, you'll come straight back after school. I'm not going to keep ypu from school, but you are not going to bring anyone home, ar even talk to anyone as a matter of fact, got it? Friends or classmates, besides what's strictly abut schoolwork, you are not going to say one word."

"That- that won't be a problem."

"Good. Now that we're understood, you have to know one more thing. My name is Bakura. But, you are going to sdress me as Yami-sama. Clear?" The boy flinched at hearing the other's name, but he nodded, and went back to staring at the floor. He felt that familiar grip around his wrist, bringing back the pain that he had seemingly forgotten, but he didn't say a word as his new master pulled him to some other room in the building.

"This is the kitchen. I don't care fow, or what you use, but you will clean this place up, and then prepare dinner." Bakura said on a harsh and commanding tone, before turnng around and walking away.

Bakura was inhis room waiting for diner to be ready while thinking about his next scheme, when he heard a scream of pain followed by a loud noise. He rushed to the kitchen and found Ryou on his knees under an open cupboard, holding his left wrist, his eyes shut tightly, and pieces of broken glass and porcelain scattered all around him.

"What in the name of Anubis did you do?" anger filling every word. Ryou looked at Bakura, and immediately rised to his feet and bowed to his master, saying:

"I-I'm sorry! I'm very sorry, I didn't mean to... just that, my wrist... and... I dropped them... I'm sorry, I'm really sorry!" the scared teen apologized.

"Oh, you'll be sorry allright. I'll teach you what happens when you damage your master's belongings." the thief said with a sadistic smirk, walking towards the boy.

"N-no... please! I'm sorry! I- won't do it again, I promise! Please!" the boy begged, stepping backwards.

"What was that? Sorri, I don't think I heard you right. I thaught I told you to adress me as 'Yami-sama'!" The thief slaped the boy hard acrodd the face.

"I- I'm so sorry, Yami-sama!" the boy said through tears.

"Oh you will be after I'm done with you. Trust me." With this, he grabbed the boy's wristagain, gaining a cry of pain from the teen.

Once in Ryou's room, he pushed the boy to a wall, hands above his head, and let his shadows do their job by climbing around Ryou's wrists, and binding him to the wall with a heavy chain, that managed to further hust his paining wrist.

"Now let's see, what should I do with you. But... today, I feel generous, so I'l take it easier on you this time. Just give you a tsste of what I can do." He snapped his fingers, and his shadows crawled on ryou, ripping his clothes apart, scratching the albino's skin in the process. The shadows also crowled around the chains once again, and Ryou felt the chains getting tighter around his wrists, hurting his skin more and more.

"You will spend your fist night here, like this, without food, warmth or light. We'll see if you ever dare to forget the rules again." And with another sadistical and very creepy lauch, he exitied the room, closing the door behind him, and letting the poor Ryou sob and cry in pain, in the total darkness of his new room.

_Tenshi: Sooo everyone, please let me know what you thaught, and of you have any Ideeas for possible tortures that Bakura could use on Ryou, please let me know, I would really apreciate the help._

_CoppyCat: She really would. It's hard to think of anything but the ones used all the time, like whypping, beating up, raping, cutting._

_Marshmallon: So help my little Writer-in-becoming with any idees you have._

_Tenshi: You're still here?_

_Marshmallon: You didn't think I'd miss out on all the action, now did you, Tenshi-chan?_

_Tenshi: Anyway, I really hope you're enjoying the storry so far, and please let me know what you think of it by taking two minutes out of your day to review. Thank you ^_^ Love you all 3_


	3. Moonlight

_Tenshi: Ok so I've become addicted to writing this storry. Seriously, I can't stop! It's allmost midnight, I've just updated chapter two minutes ago, and still I just have to write this!_

_CoppyCat: Than do it! Write it. Maybe than you'll finally be able to stop._

_Tenshi: Ok, I'll do it! But first, the disclaimer._

_CoppyCat: Want me to do it?_

_Tenshi: Could you, please?_

_CoppyCat: Of course, aibou. Here I go. Tenshi-chan doesn't own Yu-Gi-Oh! If she did, Bakura would get the screen-time he was promised in his contract (and even more). How's that?_

_Tenshi: Wonderful. Thank you^_^ Well, on to the storry now._

"Class is dismissed." The teacher said as soon as the bell rang. Everyone rushed to grt to the caffeteria for lunch, just one boy turned to the oposite side, walking away from the place that everyone gathered at.

When he was sure he was alone, Ryou rolled up his sleeves to check on his wounds. After setting him free that morning, Bakura gave him a first aid kit to tent to himself. He couldn't risk getting unwanted attention by bleeding in front of everyone. When he finished, Bakura gave him his clothes, wich he had apparently retrieved by using his shadow magic, and let him go to school, without allowing him breakfast however. Luckilly, he still had some money with him, so he was able to buy something for lunch on his way to school.

The boy climbed on the roof-top, where he knew he would be alone, since it ws actually a restricted area. But Ryou couldn't help it if he loved it there! It was just soo wonderful, being alone, silence all around him, giving him the chance to put some order into his thaughts. Also the feeling of the wind through his hair, and all the smells that it brought from the ground, everything was so beautiful up there. No classmate to make fun of him. No bully to beat the living hell out of him. No thief to order him around. No. This was his word. And this is where he felt content.

Unfortunately, everything has to come to an end, and th bell soon rang, noting the beining of the next period. "Stupid next period..."the boy groaned while getting up ftom the floor of the roof-top.

When school ended, Ryou started walking... home, i guess. His wrist still hurt. His left wrist was on pretty bad shape, maybe even a broken bone thanks to the strong rip of the thief. That's why he dropped the plates the other day, he thaught. He remember how, when e was done with clening the place up, he reached for the plates in the cupboard, but there was probably something else on top of them too, wich added weight, and the moment he he brought them out of the cupboard, he felt a sudden flow of pain in his wrist, causing wim to drop everything he was holding.

Thinking about that, he passed by a store, and he thaught he would go in. They would need some new plates, maybe some cleaning products, since Bakura was very low on those, and most importantlly, food. The refridgerator was almost empty. He needed to buy something to prepare the thief's lunch. So he went in.

After about half an hour, he walked out, carrying a few white bags with him. He continued his walk home, trying to ignore the intense pain in is wrists, and the rest of his scratches and bruises.

After a while, he saw the big, black gates of his new house. He aproached them, and they opened on their own in order to let him in. The boy thaught it was probably some kind of shadow magic that Bakura used so the gates reckognized him. He walked past the gates, and on to the _ and unattended house. If he didn't know better, he would say it was an abandoned house. The paint was coming off every here and there, the black door at the front was all scratched and choped up, and there was even a broken wndow at the first floor, that no one thaught to replace, in stead sealing it with some sheets out of the news-paper and some band-tape. The other windows were all dusted up and you couldn't see anything through them, inside or outside.

He walked to the door, and once again, it opened on it's own and let him in. He put down the plastic bags in his hands and put his jacket on the hallstand, but he didn't get to do anything more, cayse he found himself pinned to the wall, his wrists held tight against it and thobbing from pain.

"Where have you been?"

"I-i... went to the sto..."

"Didn't I tell you not to go anywhere? Didn't I tell you that you are to come straight home from school?"

"I-I'm sorry..."

"When will you learn your place? When- will you learn that you are not to make any decisions, and you are not to do anything unlessI tell you to do so?"

"I'm s-s-so-sorry!" The boy shut his eyes tightly, restraining himself from shouting out in pain when the thief's grip on his wrists tightened.

"Don't you get it?" the thief barked out. "I don't need 'sorry' , I need you to stop disobbeying me!"

"I'm sorry... Y-yami-sama, i-it won't happen again." the boy's woice now trembled with fear, and the effort to keep in his cries of pain.

"I told you, I don't care for 'sorry'. But I know there's one way that you certainly won't disobbey me again." And saying this, he pulled the boy after him, into his room, where he pushed him to the floor. Ryou watched, terror written on his face, as the older boy approached himwith a sadistic look on his face. He tried to back away from the psycopath, but he was at the ground, and his body was already hurting all over because of the wounds from yesterday and the force used to push him to the ground.

"Maybe _**now**_ you will remember Not to tak decisions on your own, the thief threatened, kicking the boy in the wribs. "You- have to learn your place, boy!" and another kick. And another, and another. He smiled at the screams of pain that the teen let out with every kick, and he continued punishin the boy, kicking him in the wribs, stomach, back, and everywhere he got his foot to.

"S-STOOP!... AAAHhhh P-pl-Aahhh... p-please... STOP!"but the thief didn't. On the contrary, he enjoyed the boy's screams of pain and beggs for mercy. He gave another kick, sending the boy flying into the wall, with another scream, and a yelp when he hit the wall.

"Remember this lesson, boy. Or else, things will go from bad to worse." the thief turned around to leave the room. "Oh, and, when you get up from there, I'm waiting for my lunch." with that, he closed the door.

Ryou stayed there, not moving a muscle, crying i pain, for what just happened, and afraid of whatt was to come. 'What dod I get myself into?' he wondered. 'I promised that I would obbey him, that I would be his, but... I can't do this anymore.' he kept on crying. Ít's only been two days, and allready I'm good to go in the hospital...' his tears were forming a puddle on the floor. 'Yuugi, where are you? I need to see you... I can't stay here any longer. I need to get away... I need to get as far from this place as possible... I need to run away... But he'll probably manage to treck me down and catch me with that... shadow magic of his...'

After staying alone on the floor for a period of time, he found the power to rise up, slowly, yelping when he felt one part of his body or another throbbing in pain, and he let his weight on the wall to help himself get to his feet. He somehow got to the bathroom to patch hmself up, than managed to drag hmself to the kitchen. Lucklly, he was pretty good with cooking, so it wouldn't be a problem to prepare the meals fro now on. He prepared the thief a steak, and put together a salad for himsself. Unfortunately, he didn'know wich room was the thief's, so he set the plate with the steak down on the table, and went searching for his mater.

After a few minutes, he found the man in a room, staring at a wall. However, from his position, Ryou couldn't see what wa there that the thief took so much interest in.

"Y-Yami-sama... Lunch- is ready."

"Good." he answered, turning on his heels and walking towards the door. After Ryou got out too, he locked the door and started walking to the kkitchen, Ryou following. The boy watched as the man saw his steak on the table and walked there, sitting down. Ryou took his own food in his hands and bowed respectfully.

"Have a- good meal, Y-yami-sama." he turned to leave.

"Where are you going?"

"To-to my room..."

"When you're finished, clean up the top floor. Start up by scrubbing the floors."

"Y-yes, Yami-sama."

The rest of the day went on pretty smoothly. After he finished eating, he washed the dishes, than he cot the cleaning products he bought that day, and started clening everything up. He scrubbed the floors, as he was instructed, than started putting all the cleaning products in order in the bathroom, puting everything in its place. He swept the floors, dusted the few pictures on the halls, and cleaned up the empty rooms that were in the same condition as his. Sometimes, the pain would recidivate, so it wasn't very easy to work, but by the end of the day, it seemed that his body was starting to recover. little by little. He didn't meet Bakura for the rest of the day, and for that, he was gratefull.

When Ryou was ready to get in his bed for the night, after finishing his schoolwork at his now clean desk, he looked out of the grilled-up window.

"One day..." he told himself, "One day, I'll get out of this place."

Bakura was walking along the halls of his house.

"I've got to admitt, the boy's done a pretty good job. I wonder why he can't just obbey me? Than the whole punishing thing wouldn't be necessary. Anyway, for now, he has to learn who the boss is around here, so I won't go easy on him." he said out loud as he inspected the boy's work that day. He opened a door, to see a tidy room behind it, unlike how it was the last time he saw it. So was he net, and the next, and... when he opened the next door, Bakura realised that he got to the boy's room. His books in order on his desk, and everything in the room tidy and organised. But that wasn't what's caught the hief's attention. The boy was lying there in his bed, a few stray locks of hair on his face, the moonlight fallin perfectly on his face. He was so... beautifull! Wait, what? No, that wasn't right. He was jut a slave, a toy, someone to do all the work and obbey his every word. He wasn't suppozed to admire his beauty! Not that he was beautifful anyway. He was just tired, and wasn't thinking right. Yeah, that's it. He should probably get some rest, he thaught.

_Tenshi: Yay, Chapter three is done! Now I'm going to write chapter two of Strange Happenings before I go on with chapter four, but I already know what's going to happen in both, so it will probably pe a pretty quick update ^_^_

_CoppyCat: Aibou, you told me to remind you to..._

_Tenshi: Oh yeah, that's right! 'm sorry for any grammar errors, lease, if you notice anything that's not right, let me know in a reiew. I need to know every little detail if i want to emprove as a wrier, so please, let me know anything. Some of them are thanks to my keyboard, that just seems to make fun of me sometimes, but others are my own mistakes, and I need to know them in order to crrect them. So please inform mr of everything._

_CoppyCat: Also we're sorry if Bakura seems a little OOC at the endin, but Tenshi-chan plans to turn thins into a YAOI, so some things have to happen._

_Tenshi: Yeah, I'm really sorry if Bekura's not right at the end. Anyway, whatever you think, you know what you have to do._

_CoppyCat: Yeah. it's called 'Review'!_

_Tenshi: Thanks for giving my fick a chanse ^_^ I love you all!_


	4. Bullies

Tenshi: Sumimasen-smimaen-sumimasen-sumimasen, minna! Honto! I'm reaally sorry for the long wait! I already had this episode planned, and started writing it, but I just couldn't manage to finish and upload it!

CoppyCat: Translation- she went to an anime convention for two days, and when she got back, her internet broke for another one.

Tenshi: That's right, she's right, and I'm soo sorry! But now it's finally time for the next episode, and there's going to be some more Ryou-torture here...*hears a gulp and turns around*

CoppyCat: *surprised* What in the name of Osiris are you doing here?

Tenshi: It doesn't matter. Stop being so rude!

Ryou: I-i-i-i-is t-th-that t-t-true? I-is Bakura g-going too...

_Tenshi: And that's not all*semi-evil smirk*. Anyway, I'm really sorry abou all that, Ryou, but that's the way it's suposed to be. Anyway, you'll see, everything will turn out just right between the two of you._

_Bakura: I hope it will. You do not want to know what I thaught of doing to you after I read the last two chapters._

_Tenshi: *scared can't begin to cover it* I- I see... Trust me, this is going straight to tentdershipping. Anyway, we've kep our readers long enouh._

_CoppyCat: Tenshi-chan doesn't own yu-gi-oh. If she did, and she can, than Bakura would get a second chance, to become a... 'good' guy... sorta..._

_Tenshi: Thank you. Now on with it!_

RYOU's POV: 

'_It's been almost 2 weeks. 2 weeks since I've made that deal. 2 weeks since my life got totally messed up, and took a turn for the worst. 1 weeks since I started living with a thief. Things have gone from bad to worse. Bakura's punishments~sometime along the way, I got used to thnking of him as 'Bakura' in stead of 'the thief'~ have become more variated, ranging from bating up, to cutting and even whipping. One time, I even collapsed from blood-loss. Fortunately, I managed to not show wnything to anyone at school. I don't whant to think what would come out of that. And honestly, the way we're going, I'm just wonderig how long there is before he starts raping me. Because now I'm sure he'd be capable of something like that. Talking of wich, I was right. He does have some kind of way to track me down or something like that, since he knew exactly when one day, I took the chance and talked to a classmate. He probably put some spell on me to find out when I break a rule, and probably track me down if I'd run, too. Is it weird that I ot to the point when I can talk aout magic and spells so freely, as if it's the most normal thing on earth? Probably...'_

(still) RYOU's POV:

'_Right now, my biggest fear is that a bully would soon get to me. It's been more about three weeks since the last bully-attack, and I'm afraid that it won't go on much longer. And if the get me on my way home, I can't explain what happened to Bakura. I can't tell him aboout these problems. I can't tell anyone, as a matter of fact. And I don't know if I'll be able to take two beatings in one day. Fortunately, Bakura seems to have calmed down a bit. The beatings are still as bad, but besides those, he seems to have calmed down a bit since about three weeks ago. We can even eat in the same room now. So...'_

NORMAL POV:

A boy walked out of the school gates, alone, his eyes cast downwards, and his silky, white hair shining in the evening sun. When you saw him, you's say he was a normal, maybe a bit to shy, albino, teenager. But if you saw his body, covered in scratches, bruises, scars and wounds, you'd much rather think he's some survivor of a nuclear war, and call an ambulance on the spot.

The boy was walking slowly, his body acting mostly on it's own, leadng him on the way he already knew by heart. His mind was in some other place, taking the few moments he had alone to forget about anything related to school, work, punishments, or the thief. He was thinking about things that could make him happy, thinking about how it would be right now if he was living a normal life, thinking about his family, back when they used to all live together, thinking about Yuugi...

He was pulled out of his day-dreaming when he felt something suddenly pulling him by his hand, but he didn't get the chance to scream for help, cause his mouth was covered by a strong and firm hand.

'_Oh, no...'_ he thaught. He knew this situation all too well. Everythin was way too familiar to him. He knew exatly what was going to happen, and was dreading it, now more than ever. _'Why...'_ he asked as he was being soved to the wall.

"Hey, long time no see, Ryou. I'd say we have some catching up to do, don't you?"

(still) NORMAL POV:

The door opened. Bakura turned his head towards the sound.

"You're late." he stated coldly.

Ryou nodded.

"You know that's next."

"Yeah... I know..." he replied, locking the door behind him. "... Punishment."

"You choose, or I do it?"

...Earlier:

He was practically dragging himself home. After he woke up in that alley all batterd, and cut up, and pretty much like after one of Bakura's punishments, he started draging himself home. He had to get there as soon as he could. Than maybe the punishment will be a bit lighter. So he kept going, at a very slow pace, as his body was hurting all over. Fortunately, he managed to cover up all the wounds with his clothes, that got out un-damaged.

He somehow got to the door hiding behind it his prison. he took a few seconds to straihten up, as to not show the thief that something had happened. He couldn't explain everything to him. So he had to conceal it as he could. Anyway, he would only have to keep it up untill Bakura took him to his room, since he'd probably chain Ryou up that moment, and the facade wouldn't be necessary anymore. Just hang on till he gets to his room.

With this in mind, he opened the door.

...Back to present time:

_'If he choses, he might chose something that would mean undressing me. I can't have him see my new wounds, so I can't take that risk. But also, I can't just up and tell him to tie me to the wall and beat me up. Please, god, help me get through this punishment without him descovering the truth!'_

"Let's discuss this." Bakura said, somehow annswering Ryou's prayer. He could make sure it would be something that allows him to conceal his wounds, but at the same time, he wouldn't have to actually name a thing. "How late have you been?"

"T-two hours."

"Do I care why?"

"...no."

"So you were two hours late, for no good reason. Are you just doing it to make me mad? Are you trying to piss me off? Cause if you are, you're doing a hell of a good job at it!"

Ryou shut his eyes tightly as Bakua's voice became slightly louder and filled with anger by now.

"I'm sorry..." the boy said on a soft, trembling voice.

"So, I think about an hour of punishment should do it, don't you? And I think I'm being generous, since you had me waiting around for you for 2 freaking hours!"

"A- ah..." the boy nodded.

"So tell me, what would you preffer me to do to you? Whip you? Cut you up? Pick! What do you think would make you learn your lesson?"

_'It's painful, but... they all are. At least, he won't see me that way...'_

"K-ki-kic..." he was trying to mumble out, but couldn't find it in him to say it out loud.

"Oh, I see. Well than, I don't see why... Wait! I just had an ideea. Something new. How about that?"

As terrified as the boy was at that, he just nodded. He knew arguing arguing now wouldn't help. Maybe just make things worse for him.

Bakura stood up and walked to the entrance to the living-room, where Ryou was standing now. He walked past the boy.

"Get. to your room." he said, and disappeared into one of the poorly-lit hallways.

Rou was expecting for the other to grab him by his wrist harshly, and drag his to his room. He was used to that. He even started wearing a bracelet to hide his wounded wrists, moving it from one to the other, depending on the wrist he was dragged by the prexious day.

So at this, he was took completely by surprise. But once again, he didn't say anything. He just complied to the thief's orders and silently went to his room. He walked to the wall he knew he would soon be chained to once Bakura started, and put his hand on the wall, leting his head down, the tipical position for him.

"Please let it not be something that rips up my clothes... I don't want him to see me... now more than ever..."

Bakura stormed into the dark room ~it was winter, so sun set earlier. besides, he put up some courtains by now~ and Ryou rose his gaze only to meet the other's eyes, and quickly let his head back down again. As he had expected, he felt the familiar coldness starting to creep up around his hands. The shadows were doing their job and chaining him to the wall.

After being pulled closer and closer, and being tied up, he saw Bakura coming closer and puting something on the floor. A bucket, filled with water. After testing the tightness of the chains, the thief turned around. What he hadn't known was that, by now, Ryou had already stopped standing on his own two (shaking) feet, and instead, let the dark chains support his body completely. He didn't have the power to stand on his own anymore.

He closed his eyes, waiting for the surge of pain that he was shure was about to come. But instead of pain, what came was coldness. His whole body was covered in that feeling, that crept theough his(now almost flat) hair, under his clothes, and and sent a swelling pain through all his wounds. He managed to hide the pained scream that would've sold him off, but he still let out a gasp at the shock. A bucket of ice-cold water has been thrown onto him. After he opened his eyes at the shock, he realised that the bucket was already refilled, and Bakura was leaning over it, soakking something in. A piece of cloath. After soaking it, he rose back up, and looked at the smaller with a sadistic grin-amirk.

Ryou locked his eyes, than suddenly, the pain came. He felt the hit of the wet cloth on his back. His body was frozen, from walking outside in the winter, and then recieving that cold bucket of water just now, and this just helped amplify the horrid feeling.

They kept at it for one hour. Bakura kept hitting at him with all his force, and calling hm things like 'idiot' and 'worthless', and every time Ryou would get close to fainting, and being spard the pain, Bakura would throw another bucket of water at him.

After a time, he even stopped usng the cloth, and went back to kicling and punching the boy.

Ryou kept screaming, and begging, and crying in pain, as violent new waves of pain traveled his cold body with every new hit, and when the thief would get an already-injured spot, the teen thaught he would die from the pain.

After a while, he lost all ability to even scream, as he was too exhausted and beat-up for that effort, and in stead settled to sitting there and take it all, tears runing down his face, mixing with blood even before touching the floor. He felt another bucket of freezing water hitting him, but he was too exhausted to care. In a few seconds, just before his hour ended, Ryou finally drifted to unconsciousness.

Tenshi: Ok so it's after 1 in the morning, but I had to finish this and upload it already. Now I can concentrate a bit on the other two ficks I've started...*yawns*

CoppyCat: Also, my Hikari wants yo all to know that starting with next chap, things finally start happening, and the plot starts showing.

Tenshi: Yeah, that's right. Thank you, Aibou. Also thanks to all the reviewers. I'll summ you all up next chap XD I hope you enjoyed... Please review(if you want to). Well, Bye everyone! Love you all! :* ^_^


	5. Feeling Sick

_Tenshi: Everyone, how are you? I want to start by thanking my awesome reviewers 00Midnight00 and Fangirl4ver. Yeah, it's just two, but they made my day, and motivated me to write this chap faster. So anyway, things finally start moving in this chapter! Untill now, there were mostly... just fillers, with maybe a bit of information every here and there. Though you won't see it at first, this will be pretty important._

_CoppyCat: That's right, so my Angel's finally going to start the actual plot! Yay! But even without plot, you know that I love all that abuse-scenes._

_Tenshi: Yes, I do. And I hope our readers do, too. Anyway, I have to warn, I'm probably going to put a Raping scene in this chapter. So feel free to skip once you think things are becoming dangerous._

_CoppyCat: Anyway, Tenshi-chan doesn't own Yu-Gi-Oh!... Yet._

_**It was hot. Very hot. The sand felt like lots and lots of needles under his hands, but he couldn't get up. An even worse pain in his back was stoping his movements. The sun shining over his exposed skin was making him warmer and warmer, he could barely take the heat, but he didn't say anything. He tried to say, but he couuldn't. He found that... he had no control over his body. But when a horrible wave of pain went through his body, starting from his back, he did scream. He screamt. But why? He suddenly had control? No, he still couldn't move, or say anything. But then why? Bakura was whipping him, and he wasn't even chained- Wait! Where did that come from? He was in egypt. He was a lowly slave. His master was killed one day, and he then became the slave of the killer. A thief. The king of the thievs. Bakura. Yes, that was it. But how did he know that? Before he managed to think better of it, another surge of pain traveled his body. He was vaguely aware that something was being told to him, but he vouldn't really make the sounds out, as another wave of pain came. It was probably more of bakura's insults. He already knew them by heart. And he even started feeling them. Wortles? Stupid? Piece of trash? Maybe he was all that. Otherwise, why would the other keep repeating it to him? And why would the God's let him endure all that? Go through all that pain? They had to have a reason. Maybe he was just not worth saving, as Bakura was allways telling him. That was maybe it... And while all this thaughts that weren't really his traveled through his head, more screams escaped his mouth as more surges of pain hit his back, and traveled his body.**_

Brown eyes opened to a dark room. He was on the floor. All his body hurt, but right now, his thaughts were on the dream he had just had. It all just seemed so... real! That pain, the thaughts in his head, they weren't just an illusion. But then, what were they? He was trying to think, when reality caught up with him, the pain in his body started making itself known, and the events of the past night went running through his head. At that, his eyes went wide, than shut tightly as tears started swelling in them, and running down his cheeks, and his body curled up in a protective manner.

"He- he d-did it...he actually did it..." 'I-I can't belive this... this happened... to... m-me...'

The thing is, Bakura always made shure that all the wounds he did could be hidden from eyesight. Unfortunately, the bullies weren't that considerate. So the prvious day, at school, someone started asking questions. And then, others joined in with him. So Ryou found that he had to explain, to tell them something, some lie, to get himsellf out of that situation.

However when he got home, Bakura wasn't at all happy with what he did. No. Actually, he was pissed. Because Ryou actually let someone see his wounds, and because he had talked to his coleagues without permission.

He was probably already pissed when he found all that out, bacause the thief was never really _that_ pissed. That furious. He probably had a really bad day, and was taking it all out on Ryou. But that happened before, and it was never really that bad. But than, what happened? What made_ this _day worse than others?

He didn't have the time to question, as he felt the other dragging him violently to his room, where he threw him down to the floor with full force. The boy let out a short, strangled scream at the contact with the floor. He turned on his back, to face the ceiling, but as soon as the he got there, he felt a new weight push onto him. He opened his eyes. And grasped in shock. The thief was sitting on him, his legs folded on either sides of his hips. The boy noticed in horror that the other was leaning closer to him, untill their faces came clse enough that he felt the other's warm breath on his skin.

Bakura looked straight into those large, brown orbs, widened in fear. Yes, how he loved that sight. How he loved to see people cowering down at his feet, in complete fear, and ready to do anything for their lifes. I made him feel powerful. And besides, it was just fitting that others go through that same pain and fear that he had to go through. They deserved it. Everyone did. Everyone was guilty, and there was no one that wss trully innocent and pure. Such a thing didn't exist. It was all part of a fairytale-world, a world he had to grow up from at a very young age. He trully believed that here was no way such fantasies were real. And that boy in front of him was no exception. As pure and innocent as he might look and seem, he was just as guilty as everyone else. He was sure of that. Even though sometimes he would find himself regretting what he did to the boy, as he didn't seem like he deserved all that, he would shake that feelings off in a second. Everyone was guilty. Everyone deserved to suffer.

He leaned in closer to the boy's face, seeing him becoming even paler than usual, if possible, pure terror running wild in those deep, brown orbs. they were now close enough that the tips of their noses were touching. Close enough that with one small, swift move, Bakura's lips were pressing violently against the other's. So tightly it hurt. He stole a hungry, possesive and wild kiss from the boy, nothing warm, nothing pleasant making it's way through his lips. No. There were no feelings behind that kiss. Only posessivness and crulety. Bakura knew that the boy would suffer greatly after something like that, and would certainly never disobey him again. That is- unless he actually liked all hat stuff being done to him. He pushed past the boy's lips and started exploring his mouth, not even trying for one second to get permission. He ravaged Ryou's mouth, abd bit the boy's lip hard enough for the boy to feel the pain from it.

The albino teen was completely shocked. He wasn't expecting, nor wishing that. He had never done that before, and had always heard about how the first time would be something special, full of meaning, and it would feel wonderful. And that it would be even more specal, since you would share it with the person you trully loved. But for him, it was nothing like that. In stead of being given to him by the person he loved, like a gift of something special, as it sould, it was in stead stolen from him by a thief, an abuser, a horrible person that kept him as nothing more than a slave. Tears were rolling down his cheeks at the thaught of losing yet another special something. One by one, everything was taken away from him. Everything special to him was being stolen away. Than, to his complete horror, a moan went out his lips. He hoped, he trully hoped, with all his heart, that the thief hadn't heard it, but deep down, he knew that reality was too cruel to grant him that wish.

He smirked through the kiss. That small sound that escaped the teen underneath him, it made him enjoy that all the more. After that the boy tensed up, beoming almost rigid, and proving to Bakura that Ryou had indeed did that, and regreted it fully. Oh this was going even better than he had hoped! He rose a hand and insered it in the darkness of the room, pulling it back out a few seconds later together with a sharp knife. He pulled away from the crying teen and noticed his wet cheeks, and the clear and bright, beautiful eyes that the tears left behind. But he didn't give it any time, as he put the shining blade onto the hip of the weak teen underneath him and started running it down his leg, cutting through the thin cloth of the boy's school pants, and opening a deep wound on his leg. The boy let out a strangled scream. Oh yes, Bakura was enjoying this even better now. He went to the very base of his pants, cutting them completely open, than did the same thing to his other leg, once again earning himself a pained scream out of the boy, followed by even more tears. He pulled off the boy's trousers together with his boxers, leaving the boy completely exposed, and at his mercy. And the boy was expecting that the thief would start and cut up the upper part of his body, too, in order to leave him in cold and pain. He closed his eyes and readied himself for the next cut, blood running freely on the floor from the two wounds already at hand.

However Bakura didn't have the same plans as him. No, not at all. In stead, he used his shadows again, and moved them around Ryou's wrists. They started pulling the traumatized teen to the nearest wall, pinning him there with his hands above his head. This time, however, he was rose up only half-way, and was now with his legs under his butt, but high enugh that he wasn't actually sitting(A/n: please tell me If you understand this part, I'm not sure if I explained it propperly. If you didn't understand , tell me, and I'll explain it to you ^_^). Bakura got closer to the boy, who once again shut his eyes. He leaned down, his lips next to his ear. In the mean time, he turned the turned the knife in his hand so he was holding it by the blade, and placed the handle next to Ryou's opening. Than on an insane tone:

"Now scream, yadonushi"! With that, he completely pushed the handle inside the boy.

"! STOP IT, STOOOP ITT!"

"That's right, keep screaming. No one will hear you, and no one will help you. No one will ever help you!" the thief stated. More tears made their way on Ryou's cheeks. But this time, it wasn't because of the pain. Not the phisical pain, anyway. It was because of what Bakura had said. He knew the thief was right. No one would _ever_ help _him_. He knew that. But to hear it said out loud was something else. It hurt him inside to know just how alone he was in the world, and that he had no one. He used to have Yuugi. Yes. Yuugi. The first one who saved him from his misery and lonelyness. But they had to part ways. And maybe it was for the better. He couldn't stand to drag Yuugi into this with him. Another scream escaped him, as his master was pulling the knife out and then thrusting it back in again, and again, blood dropping to the floor, and running down the blade of the knife.

Bakura was laughing maniacally between the boy's screams, and puting more and more force in it, making it more painful with each turn.

Any thaught disappeared from Ryou's mind as the only thing left was the pain. His body was screaming from the pain as the thief once again pulled the blade out then pushed it back in with more force. At first, after the two waves of pain, there was something else there, with the pain. It was awareness, of what Bakura was doing, of what was happening to him. Of the fact that he was being raped. But with each thrust back in, the pain was bigger, and it was becoming harder and harder to keep any thaughts in his mind. So now, there was only pain. The only thing his mind was concentrating on.

The handle was pulled out.

The pain was submitting, but Ryou knew it wouldn't be for long.

Thrust back in.

Another scream from the teen's mouth.

Pulled out.

Blood was dripping on the floor.

Pushed in.

The boy felt the intense pain going through his whole body.

Pulled out.

Even this movement that till now gave him a bit of peace started to hurt more and more.

In.

Another scream.

That movement continued, and with each push, Ryou felt the wave of pain. That awful pain. There was no pleasure in it, as he heard it should be when you have sex. No, it was only pain. Pain that pulled out of him terrifyng screams. And it went on, and on, as the thief kept pulling and pushing the knife, and laughing like a maniac at every scream and beg that came from the boy. However after about two hours, he fell unconscyous from both the exhaustion and the blood-loss, and the thief finally stopped and released the chains on the boy.

Now, as he was remembering every detail of it, the boy was utterly terrified. The thief... raped him...

He wasn't angry at the thief. He knew he deserved it. All he had to do was respect a few rules and do his chores, and he couldn't even do that much. He knew he deserved the punishments, so he wasn't angry. But he was scared. Terrified, actually. Of what had happened to him so far, and of the knowledge~or maybe the very unknowledge~ of what was to come.

Why couldn't the thief just kill him? He had no reason to live on anyway. No one cared about him. No one would miss him. All his life was about was pain. Phisical, emotional, it was pain from sunrise to dawn. Also he knew no one would ever care about him or love him. So what reason was there left to live? Why couldn't he just die already?...

Another week passed. Ryou has been attacked by bullies almost daily, and every time, he would arrive home only to be greeted by his master's punishment. His body was slowly starting to fail under all that pressure.

He found it harder to move in ways that were perfectly natural before.

The same action seemed to be giving him way larger amounts of pain.

He had copletely lost the feeling of hunger or craving. He stopped eating breakfast a long time ago, but lately, every evening he would leave his food untouched, and every time he managed to down something at lunch, he would end up with his head in the toilet. Every now and then he managed to eat a piece of fruit or something like that without throwing up, but that was about it, all that kept him alive.

Sometimes, in class, his hand would start shaking and he'd find himself unable to even hold the pen anymore, or sometimes, his legs would just give up on him in the middle of the hallway, or even on his way home. Of course at home he would hide it all as best as he could, but other people were starting to notice something was wrong, and started puting quescions. He would just ignore them, of course. But how long could he keep on doing that? Of course it wouldn't be a problem if the school went to his 'familly' about his state. His _father _couldn't care less of what was happening to him. But if they started putting more quescions, those could start rising suspicions, and how long would it be before someone found out about Bakura? The thief wouldn't be happy with that. But he couldn't talk to them to get rid of any quescions or suspicions, because that would result in a worse punishment that night, and right now, he could barely live through the ones at hand.

So for now, he'll just go with it, let things happen, and hope everything turns out fine.

That day, he had the luck to not be targeted by anny bullies, so as he got home in time, he also escaped a punishment. But he knew that tomorow he wouldn't be that lucky. Of that, he was sure.

He prepared dinner for that night. He prepared the thief a dish called 'biftec tartar' wich consists of raw meat mixed with a raw egg and different tipes of condiments. He thaught(hoped) it would suit the thief's tastes. For himself, he prepard a mixed salad, though he knew he wouldn't eat it anyway.

As they sit at the table that evening, the thief was wolfing his meal down, while Ryou was just moving his around in his plate to make it seem like he actually ate a bit, even though he didn't.

"Where?"

"-Huh?" Ryou was startled by the sudden question. They didn't usually talk, even when they were in the same room. All their verbal contact consisted pretty much in 'discussing punishments' so he was taken by surprise when he heard his master talk to him. "Master...?"

"Where did you learn to cook like this?_I think yours may be the best food I've ever tasted."_ he wasn't about to say that out loud though. "And all the house-keeping you're doing, most boys aren't usually as good with this kind of stuff as you are. So where did you learn all this?"

"I- I don't... I d-d-didn't really... I was allways good a-at thiss s-stuff... M-Master-Bakura(A/n: in the time spent 'together' they both got used to a few ways of adressing that show the thief's authority. Like Master, Master-Bakura, Bakura-Sama, Yami-Sama,...). W-when I was younger, m-m-my parents would be away f-f-fr-from home a-a lot, s-s-o I h-h-had to take care of- my little s-s-ss-sister and myselff, m-master." he had his eyes shut tightly to stop the tears that formed from dropping, but failed at that task as two tears managed to make their way through his defenses.

Bakura was about to ask more about the boy's familly, but decided that it was better not to press the subject. Than he noticed the still full plate in front of the boy.

"Why didn't you eat your dinner?" he demanded harshly.

"I'm sorry Bakura-sama, I'm not v-very hungry r-r-right noow, tha-at's all..."

"I don't care. Eat up. You need the energy to do your jobs right."

"Y-yes Bakura-sama. Right away Bakura-sama." Even though he knew where all the food would end up, he wan't about to argue with the man. He had just managed to almost go one day without any beatings. So he started eating, Bakura's hawk-eyes fixed on him untill he took the last bite on the plate.

"Good. Now get to your other chores." And with that, the thief left. Ryou stood in place for about two minutes, when he was sure his master would be in his room by now. In that instand, he jumped up and bolted to the bathroom, grtting there just in time to manage to put his head over the toyletseat _before _he started throwing up.

After his stomach was completely empty, he rose up on shaky legs, and started working, so he wouldn't get punished for not doing his job.

_Tenshi: Ok, I think this could've been put in two separate chapters, first the raping scene, then what came after the next morning, but the ideeas just came to me one by one and I had to wyite them down on the spot. So, yeah, it may be longer than other chapters, though I'm not really sure._

_CoppyCat: It's fine anyway, at least you updated, and it's not short. What more can you ask?_

_Tenshi: Anyway, everyone, what did you think about the raping scene? Was it good? Did I rush to it? If you think it came to quickly, than I can allways delete this chapter and rewrite it. Anyway the ending will be the same, so I'm off to writing chapter 6. Than I'll probably get to the other storries too. But right now, I'm in love with this one, and going to write more._

_CoppyCat: Yeah. Please review and let us know what you thaught!_

_Tenshi: Pretty please covered with icing and cherry on top!_

_PS: Sorry if there are spelling errors, my key-board still isn't working properly, so I may have missed a letter every here and there. If I did, I'm really sorry!_


	6. Utterly Shocked

Tenshi: Thanks for the reviews everyone! You really made my day! But now, I really want to get going with the storry.

CoppyCat: Well, aren't you in a hurry?

Ryou: Should I be worried?

Tenshi: Maybe... Anyway, this chapter is where things start to move between you and Bakura here.

Bakura: Well I know you took yor time.

Tenshi: And I still will. I said that things start moving, not that they'll move fast. Not with your unemotional, not caring and denying attitude.

CoppyCat: Ok, beore you spoil too much, let's get going with this. Disclaimer: Tehnshi-chan doesn't own yu-gi-oh or it's caracters yet.

Tenshi: Guess then, all that's left is the storry. Let's go!

Ryou's condition was becoming worse by the day. The bullies were attacking him regularly, wich meant tough punishents every day for being late. His body was so damaged that almost any movement would cause him more pain. With only his master's punishments, it wouldn't be such a problem. But seing as how he was being beat up twice a day, his body didn't get enough time to recover, and now he was sore and in pain all day long, becoming worse with each day.

The fact that he didn't eat wouldn't help either, and his starvation was now more and more visible. His arms were even thinner than before, his wribs could be seen clearly unless he was wearing a loose shirt, and his skin was now white enough to contest his hair.

And one more thing. He was becoming araid of touch. He was literarry becoming afraid of anyone touching him, and every time he would have the slightest bit of skin-to-skin contact with anyone, he would jump startled and back away as far as possible rom the respective person. And why? Well let's say that beating up ~in different ways: with punches and kicks, with a whip...~ wasn't the only tipe of punishment the thief applied. No, ever since that first time, he kept raping on the list too.

Anyway, that wasn't his biggest problem right now. Despite the fact that Bakura's punishments weren't quite as bad as they used to be, his body still couldn't keep up with the damage, and now it was like it went on shut-down. He would colapse to the ground more and more often, and diferent parts of his body gave out in the worst moments. One time, it even gained him another beating when he fell down and hit the bucket with water he had just used to mop, wich water made a mess on the floor in the hall.

Of course people would put quescions, but he'd keep on ignoring them and carrying on with what he was doing. He refused to be sent to the nurce's office, or to the hospital, and he was relieved when his father didn't answer to the letter sent to him regarding Ryou's poor state, even though the boy was fully expecting that he wouldn't.

Bakura eventually noticed something was really wrong with his slave. At the begining, he just let it pass, and said it was his imagination. But he noticed that Ryou would never touch his dinner, and he knew the boy didn't eat breakfast, and even if he ate at school, it couldn't possibly be enough, and it wasn't, seeing how paler the boy has become.

Ryou found himself having no choice but to eat dinner, as Bakura would always notice his plate full and make him eat. But every time, he would throw it up after the thief left. And this evening was no exception. The thief finished with his steak, and he made Ryou eat up his own dinner, and after the thief left and was nowhere to be seen, the boy ran to the toilet like he allways ended up. But as he was throwing out everything in his stomach, he was unaware of the eyes watching him from the shadows. Eyes that kept watching him all evening, and whitnessed him as he was colapsing to the ground in pain while doing his work, but would always get back up, and go on, oblivious to the pain that was obviously filling his every move.

When he finshed, Ryou went to his room and started doing his homework, and during that time, his hand stopped responding to him once, and one time, his whole body started shaking violently, and he fell to the ground with tears of pain filling his brown eyes.

By the time he was finished and started preparing for bed, the thief had stopped watching him. But, he already saw enough.

The next morning, Ryou, like always, got ready for school. He took a shower, trying his best to avoid touching any injuries. After he got dressed in his spare uniorm, cause the other one was dirty with blood right now, he went to the kitchen and prepared master Bakura's breakfast. He left it on the table and went to exit the house, when he heard footsteps coming his way. He turned around, terrified to see master Bakura there.

"B-Bakura-sama! Di-did I w-w-wake you up? I-I'm sorry! I d-d-di-didn't m-mean to. I'm sorry!" he said, bowing to his waist while holding back a whimper of pain, than rising back to look at his master.

Te thief didn't answer. When he started walking towards Ryou again, the boy shut his eyes tightly and clenched his fists in fear of the punisment he was expecting. He flinched when he realised his master was right next to him, and tightened his fists even more, doing his best to stop his body from shaking in fear, or better yet, terror.

He heard his master stop right next to him, than, to his surprie, the door opened, and the tief walked out, passing rigt by him.

Ryou's eyes opened, becoming large.

"M-master...?"

"Come on, slave."

"Y-yes, master." The teen walked out, locking the door behind him. He caught up to his master, remaining two steps beind, his eyes cast to the ground. Bakura was walking with his hands in his pockets, and heading somewhere, without hesitating at any turn. Ryou followed his master, careful not to bump into him when he suddenly stopped. Te boy rose his eyes to look at his master again.

"M-master...?"  
Bakura turned to face him, and Ryou let his gaze back to the grownd.

"Here." The thief said, throwing something to Ryou. The boy barely managed to ctach it, hiding the pain in his whole body at the sudden movement. "Get something to eat that's easy on the stomach. I'll be here when you're ready."

Ryou then noticed that he was standing next to a store, and that what the thief had thrown him was a wallet. "Y-Yes, Yami-sama. Right away." He bowed, than turned to enter the store.

While he was searching for what to buy, Ryou started thinking back to hese past weeks. There was one more thing going on, that he just couldn't understand. He kept having these dreams where he was somewhere in a desert, and he would always see everything from someone else's point of view, hearing all the person's thaughts as if they were his. H never actually saw anyone n tose dreams, but he always knew he wasn't alone. Also, in most of them he was either put to work, or punished for something he knew full well while he was in the dream, but he just couldn't remember once he woke up. At first, he didn't think anything of it, but it was becoming rather disturbing. And now especially. Since last night, he had one more of those dreams.

**!FLASHBACK!**

_He was tired. Exhausted! He wanted nothing more than to sit down, close his eyes, and just sleep. But he couldn't afford that. He had to finish his chores for the day, otherwise, that evening, he would wish he was never even born. Well, he'd wish that more than he did already._

_He just finished scrubing the floor in his master's room, and he stood up, ready to proceed to making the bed, but the moment he was up, he felt the whole world spinning with him, and a horrible headache. Than, everything went black as he fell to the ground._

_When he opened his eyes, it was dark around him, the only light consisting in a single candle lit up in the room._

_"Well, well, sleeping on the job, are we."_

_He flinched when he remembered what happened, and that hestill didn't finish his work yet._

_"I-I'm sorry!" he quickly rose up from the floor he was still on. He bowed to his waist and kept his eyes of the person in front of him, and onto the ground, before closing them tightly He knew what was coming. He was still trying to smehow prevent it, but he knew he had no chance. Life just wasn't that kind to him. Never was, never will be. "I'm really sorry, master. I-it's not going to happen again. I didn't m-m-mean to..."_

_He was cut off by a fist in his side, throwing him to the ground._

_"It's not going to happen again, and I'm going to make sure of that." he still didn't look at the stranger's face, but he could see his feet coming closer, though everyting was in a blur. He was terrified._

_"M-master... Bakura..."_

**!END FLASHBACK!**

Ryou sighed. He just couldn't understand what all these dreams were supposed to mean, but when he heard his master's name talked clearly in his dream, he was sure something was deffinitely wrong. Those weren't normal dreams, and it wasn't a coincidence that he was the one seeing them. But what could they possibly mean?- Than, he shoook that off. He was becoming pathetic and paranoid. There was no way those were anything more than just that- dreams. He didn't have to think so hard about everything.

He finally came out of the store, holding a plastic bag in his hand. Master Bakura was there waiting for him, as he said he would be.

"I'm sorry I made you wait, Master."

Once again, Bakura didn't answer. He threw something at Ryou again.

"Take these."

Ryou moved to catch the object, but as it made contact with his hands, his body chose that exact moment to shut down. For a second, he just stood there, frozen. Than, he dropped the object from his hands, and fell to the ground. He stood there for a few seconds. Bakura was watching, no emotion showing on his face. Then, Ryou grabbed the object from the ground and stood up, noticing it was actually a small box of medicine.

"At noon, take one of those before you eat. Now get to school. And don't be late home again, slave." with that, he turned around, and left in the direction of their house.

Ryou looked after him, not knowing what he sould think. Than, he realised he was late for school, so he put everything in his school bag, and headed there as quickly as his injured body would allow it. He made it only a bit after the bell had rang, and forunately, his teacher let him in. School went on as usual, with his ocasional shut-down's and the constant quescioning.

Soon, lunch came, and he headed out to get some fresh air. He remembered what Bakura had ordered him that morning, and decided he would better listen to what his master told him, though he didn't get what the medicine was for. He knew he wasn't going to keep the food in, but again, he did as he was ordered. And, he was surprised to find that he didn't feel like throwing up one minute after finishing. Maybe that's what the medicine was for...

RIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIING! RING! RIING! !

The bell rang, ending his train of thaughts. He didn't want to be late for another class, so he headed inside. Class went smoothly, until suddenly, around the middle of the period, he rose up of his chair and ran straiht to the toilet. He threw up everything he had eaten. Aparently, not even medicine could help him now. They only managed to slow the process down, but he ended up in the same place. A few of his classmates followed him, and saw what happened. They told the teacher right away, who insisted that Ryou go home and rest till he got better, but Ryou absolutely refused to do that, and they couldn't force him, or carry him home, so eventually, they stopped the discussion.

When school was over, he waited ill everyone was out of the class, than he started packing his things with difficulty. He headed out. But right when he was walking out of the school-yard, he collapsed once again. Fortunately, no one was around to start asking quescions again. So he eventuall stood up, and started walking back home.

He gased when he was grabbed by the hand and pulled into an alley.

"You thought you'll fool s by not showing up on time, little Ryou? You really thaught you'd get away that easily. Well, then how about we show you how things really stand around here?" Ushio stated, and then snapped his fingers.

Ryou was already four hours late! Where in the world did he disappear?If he was trying to run away, Bakura would've known. But than, where was he? He was never really this late before, though he did make a habit out of being late. Oh he was going to get it that evening! Bakura was pacing around hinking all that, and he was very pissed now. That boy really was trying to get him mad! If he went ouside of the way he took home, Bakura would've known right away, wich means he was somewhere on that route. But that why was he being so late, unless if it was to piss the thief off?

But the truth is, despite all that thaughts, somewhere deep, deep down, verry deep and well burried, he was holding the slightest bit of concern. After all, something could've happened to the boy on his way. Fortunately, Bakura was very good at hiding those kinds of thaughts, even from himself. Still, after four hours, he got his coat, and left the house, in order to go and search for the boy. Something was definitely wrong. Either the boy was trying to get him mad, or something really happened to him, Ryou had to be found. And besides, he was getting hungry.

He

took the route he knew Ryou was taking to school. He looked in every window, and through every alley, though he knew even before he looked that the boy wouldn't be there. Otherwise, he should be able to feel his presence. After a wile, he was about t give up. He was getting really close to the teen's school, and still Ryou was nowhere to be found. But then, he felt the slightest presence. Ryou was close.

So, he took the alleyways arund there one by one, and when he got to a certain one, he knew the boy would be there, even before he heard the silent groan coming from the shadows of the alley. He headed there, and what he found shocked him.

There was Ryou, unconscious on the ground, his uniform jacket unbuttoned, leting Bakura see his blood-dripped blouse, and the long cut made on it, and through his skin. His face was also covered in blood, turning his white hair red. The boy was barely even breathing right now, and his presence was so faint, Bakura could hardly sense him here, standing right next to him.

The thief leaned down and picked Ryou up. He needed to be tended to, now. And yes, Bakura would always beat him, and leave him unconscious on the floor, but he never eft the boy nearly this damaged. He was hardly alive.

So he quickly took the boy home. He kicked the door open, and didn't take the time to close it after him. He went straight to the boy's room. However, he noticed the room was in pretty bad shape, with blood on the walls and bed-sheets, and the air was heavy and filthy. it wouldn't be healrhy for the boy, he needed clean air, and to rest. So he walked to another room on that same corridor, where he knew for a fact that the boy cleaned up, and left him on the bed there. He went to bring a bucket with water and a few bandages, and also braught a sponge, and a glass of water since Ryou would need to get rehidrated. Than, he proceeded to getting the school uniform off the boy, as he realised that the jacket wasn't touched by the blood too much, and if it was closed, it could go unnoticed, if not for the blood on his face and hair. After he got the blouse off the boy, he gasped in shock.

There was a big, long cut going diagonally from the right side of his chest, almost to his stomach, and unfortuately, it was still bleeding. Alsu lots of other small cuts and bruises filled the boy's body. However the injuries werent all there was to it. What worried him was that he could see each and every one of the boy's wribs, and his arms held a dangerous resemblance to tree branches. Very thin- tree branches.

Overall, the boy was to times thinner than even a photomodel. It was unhealthy. Bakura realised then that the boy had probably been starving himself for a while now.

He then started checking Ryou up for any broken bones, before he could do anything to tend to the boy. To his horror, he found the boy's right frorearm to be broken, but thankfully, there was nothing else in the same state. It was lucky. And it was also lucky that the bone didn't pierce the skin, or else it would've been really bad.

It was obvious to the thief that not all those wounds were fresh, and he knew for a fact that he wasn't the one who caused most of them. Some of the wounds probably went pretty far back, so really, it was a wonder he didn't black-out till state was awfull! He needed to be tended to, and quick.

So Bakura took the wet sponge, and sarted cleaning off the boy's body, surprisingly gentle arund te injured areas. After he cleaned the blood and dirt off the boy, he took the bandages, and started patching him up around the smaller wounds on his chest, and his stomach and arms.

Now, the biggest problem was the big cut on Ryou's chest. He had to somehow stop the bleeding, or else the boy wouldn't last much longer before he'd die of blood-loss. Unfortunately, the thief wasn't as goos at healing as he was at inflicting the damage.

Oh Ra, the boy would have quite a few quescions to answer one he wakes up!

Tenshi: I'm not very pleased by this chapter. I could've done better.

CoppyCat: It's perfect, aibou! After all, it's past midnight here! You shouldn't be up writing at these hours!

Tenshi: I know, Yami, but my mother punished me by taking my laptop for the week, so I have to sneak around and write and upload at night, when she wouldn't find me out.

CoppyCat: Why can't you just wait till you'r time's up?

Tenshi: I don't know, it's hard not to be able to write a whole day. But maybe I'll rewrite this chapter if the readers think I should. Also, I think I'll be writing the episodes on a notebook for the week, then upload them all at once once I get free access again. Sould I do that I  
think my writing slomps off in this chapter... Please let me know what you think, in the form of a review ^_^ Well anyway everyone, good night, I'm off to bed.


	7. Revealings

Tenshi: Sorry for the delay everyone, but I finally gor my laptop back!

Ryou: Yay! Tenshi-chan's back!

Tenshi: Yes, I am! Also...

CoppyCat: Thanw you all for all...

Tenshi: the awesome reviews that we got...

CoppyCat: on the last chapter.

Tenshi: I'm glad you liked it! You made me...

CoppyCat: Very happy. Also thanks for all the...

Tenshi: Favourites and Storry alerts...

Bakura: Cut it out with all that completing each other thing, will ya? It's really annoying.

Tenshi: Sorry. Anyway, let's move on. Ryou sweety, would you help me a bit here?

Ryou: Sure! ^_^ Tenshi-chan doesn't own yu-gi-oh! or it's caracters, though I have a feeling Baura wouldn't die so easilly if she did... or at least, he'll come back if she will.

Tenshi: Thank you Ryou*Hugs Ryou tightly**recieves death-glare from Bakura* Now on to the storry*shaking*...

A silent moan was heard, being the only sound to break the heavy silence. Brown eyes slowly opened to be met with only darkness.

For a few aeconds, he just layd there, looking absentmindedly ahead, not shure where he was or how he got there. He moved his head a bit, to realise that there was something soft underneath it. A pillow...?

He clenched a fist, to feel bed-sheets in his hand.

He was in a bed.

Ryou tried to roll over, to try and find something else about where he was, but a wave of pain in his chest stopped him in mid-move. He tried again, more slowly this time. To his surprise, the boy realised that both his hands along with his chest were covered in bandages.

"Someone actually helped me..."

The next thing he saw was a (weirdly familiar) bedset, that held on it a boul with a sponge, and a few bandages, probably leftover from patching him up. There was also an alarm-clock there, that showed Ryou it was almost three a clock in the morning.

However to his horror, the next thing he noticed made him gasp~loudly~ in shock. And at the sound, his master's eyes snapped open.

Now, Ryou was shure he would be punished. Not only that he couldn't remember ever getting home that day(or by now, the previous day), and he didn't get one single thing done the wholw day, but now, as if it wasn't enough, he also woke his master up.

Bakura had been asleep on a chair next to Ryou's bed when the injured teen opened his eyes, and now he woke up at hearing a sound. Well it's a good thing he always has been a light sleeper. The first thing Bakura noticed was that he was in a chair. When in the world did he... Oh, that's right. He's been tending to Ryou, than when he was ready, he sit down to wait for the boy to wake- Wait, the boy! His eyes snapped large, then relaxed just a bit when he saw the boy safely on the bed, finally awake.

When his master's eyes became large at the memory, Ryou mistook for rage. So ignoring that bugging voice in the back of his head that was telling him otherwise, he hurried to sit up so he could bow to the other.

Big mistake.

He was only halfway-up when suddenly a horrible pain crossed his chest, like he's just been stabbed with a long and sharp blade.

His body quickly got him the rest of the way, and his hands reached up to grasp at his heart as he was gasping loudly for air.

When he was finally able to breathe normally again, he remembered what he's been doing. He turned to face his master and got ready to bow down, when...

"Stop, you're only going to hurt yourself more."

"M-m-m-master, I'm-m-m sorry." he bowed his head down. Then as he looked back up, he watched his master stand up and walk towards him. The boy closed his eyes to supress a few tears. He was going to be beaten, Ryou was shure of that. So he waited for the pain, that never came, replaced in stead by a ~somehow~ gentle touch on his shoulders, than being pushed slowly back down on the bed. Brown orbs went wide.

"Bakura-s-sama...?"

"Why didn't you tell me?" Bakura asked sternly, facing away from the boy.

"Wh-what do you mean, Bakura-sama?"

"Why didn't you tell me that you were being bullied?"

"I... I don't..."

"Do _not_ try to lie to me, boy. Those injuries on you, they don't lie. More than half of them aren't caused by me, and most of them are too old for this to be just a coincidentall happening. No, this has been going on for a while now. So, why didn't you tell me?"

"B-because..." Ryou's tone started to change. It was becoming darker, full of resentment, and something else, that Bakura never thaught to ever get to hear in the boy's voice. He also let his head down, in a way that shadows now covered his eyes completely, hiding them away, and giving Ryou a very dark apearence. "I dind't want you... no, I didn't want anyone to know about... The thing is, this is my life, and I don't want others to butt in or start asking quescions about it. And if someone found out even a bit, that's exactly what they'd start to do." Bakura turned to face him.

"Well, about that you're right. So start explaining. And begin with why the hell would it be so important to keep it hidden! You nearly died today! And if things kept going like this, soon you would have died..."

"And why would you care? Oh, that's right, you wouldn't want your slave to die, cause than you wouldn't have anyone to do all your dirty jobs for you. Well have you ever wondered what if, you know, maybe I didn't mind dying? After all, what do I have to keep me alive?" the boy statrted, his voice getting louder and darker by the second. Bakura would've said the last words were filled with venom and resentment if he didn't know the boy better.

"What do you mean?" he asked exasperately.

"You're pretty slow at catching up." The thief rose a brow. "Didn't you ever wonder _why_ my friends, or family, never searched for me, or tried to get me away from you?" Bakura's facial expression started changing, realisation downing on him with every second. "It's because I don't have any! All my family is dead, along with one of my only friends!"

_'His family is dead?'_

" Yuugi was the last person I held any conection with! He was the only one who ever saved me from my lonelyness, and the only one who cared about me, and who ever helped me after my family died. Now we're separated forever. So what reason could I possibly have to live? To survive? For the beatings? To go back to being abused and beaten up every day? To go back to the pain of being alone? No one will ever care about me anyway, I know that, so what's the point? Of course, you'd say I would live for the hope of someday meeting Yuugi again. You'd say that would be my dream, and the thing to help me carry on. Well, it used to. But, i realised... the only thing I'll ever do would bring him more problems and put him in danger again. No. It's better this way. He should... just... go on... live a... ha-happy life... a normal... life... if I... met him, I-I... I'd just... put him in d-danger... and probab-... probably get him... killed..." Ryou's body was shaking with sobs. He started hard, but his walls broke down after the first few phrases, and teras slowly started falling down his face, though the thief didn't notice them thanks to his face being turned down.

_'His- his family is dead? I- wouldn't have guessed he'd be so much like... ' "_How?"

"..."

"How did your family die?"

"W-We-well... they... we, were in- a car accident... One of- the only times we got to spend together... we were going... somewhere... they wouldn't... tell us..." sobs were interrupting the teen every few words. "They said... it was a..." sniff "surprise... we were... in the c-car..." the last word came out obviously strained, like he had difficulty even pronouncing the dreaded word. "Marik was... with us... he was an o-orphan, and lived with u-u-us... he was m-my best f-f-friend. In that a-accident, both my parents... and.. my little... sister... were... killed on... the spot... it was all foggy, but... I remember... there was... lots of... blood and... my family's... bodies... it-it was... awful... me and... Marik... made it... to the hospital... and were put in... intensive care... but... one day... Marik started... saying... strange things... and looking... into nothing... and then... he told me... to live... and, get... over that... make frie-friends... be happy... and then..." But Ryou didn't get to end that phrase, as he started crying violently and couldn't stop enough time to form even one word. Bakura, however, didn't need to hear the rest. He could understand where the boy was heading with that sentence.

"Lay there and rest. Try not to hust yourself." Bakura said while walking out of the room, leaving a stunned Ryou behind.

He stormed down the stairs and out of the house. He needed to get away and think stuff through. And that- was not something he enjoyed doing.

Ryou... was an orphan? He never even thaught of that possibility. Though now, it all seemed very obvious. Why didn't he see it earlier? Who would've thaught? Him and the boy would be so much alike? Both whitnessed their families and friends die, both had a tragic past that they had to somehow overcome, but thatn, why were they so different now? What went differently for Ryou than it did for him? After all, unlike him, the teen had the ability to care about others. Like he did for that shrimp that he saved when they first met. He was willing to give himself away in order to save the boy, and now, he was giving up his last hope, his last thing to cling onto, just in order to keep that boy safe! And unlike him, Ryou didn't become coldhearted and powerull, agressive... no. The boy was taking in all the fury and agressiveness of this world, without fighting back for one second. So what? What was different between them?

And why in the world was he suddenly so interested in the boy? What difference woulod it make anyway? After all, the boy was just a slave, and nothing more. That's what he kept saying and thinking.

Without knowing it, the white-haired thief found himself in front of a very collorfull and happy-looking building. It made him sick! A big and collorfull logo hanged over the door, calling "Kame Game Shop!". ~ugh, this was just discusting, why in the world would anyone put so much collor and livelyness onto just one building?~

Normally, he would have walked just by the place, making a note mind never to come there again unless he was in the mood to play a cruel trick on someone. But this sime, it was different. When he got right in front of the shop, he felt a strong pulse, and something pulling onto him, calling him to enter the game-shop. And his instincts told him to follow that feeling, so he did. The only thing that kept him alive all that time were his instincts. He allways trusted them, and they allways proved correct.

That's how he found himself climbed up on one of the walls, wich was heading away from the sun, so that the shadows help him. He got up to the second floor, and there, getting close to a cretain window, he got that feeling again. That was the one. That's where that strong feeling was coming from. That's where he had to go. And that's where he went. He opened the window very easily, by using his shadow-magic.

Good. Now all he had to do was find the thing that would emmit such strong shadow-magic. Because now that he was so close, he could clearly tell what it was. Though he felt it would be shadow-magic from the begining, but he couldn't rush to the conclusion. He looked around the very tidy room. With blue walls and white ceiling, wooden floor and a carpet, with a darker shade of blue than the walls. Also there was the bed, with light-blue sheets, and a desk, where weirdly, all the school stuff had been cleared out. He walked to the dresser and opened it, shocked to find it completely empty of clothes.

Though now that he thaught about it, the room did seem like it hasn't been lived-in for quite some time. A small layer of dust had formed over everything, and there was even a spider-web formed on the chandeleer. However there were still a few toys on the bed, some paper-sheets, crayons and some non-school-related things on the desk, and two towels hanging on the back of the chair.

But anyway, it wasn't his buisness to make an investigation on that room. He was there in search of something(though he didn't know exactly what). And he would find it, take it, or leave it depending on what 'it' was. The Albino closed his eyes and concentrated on the feeling of the shadow magic, trying to detect the source. Andafter a few seconds, obviously, he did it. He turned around and walked over to the dusty nightstand. Putting a hand on the drawer, he pulled it open.

Red orbs widened, and his mouth fell open, letting his small fangs show.

Tenshi: There. All done. Sooo... sorry for the shortness, but that's just the way it turned out to be. I'll put the next chapter up soon, so please bear with me! Though thhis time, I'm really going to wait untill I update Strange Happenings, I promise I'm going to put it as soon as I can.

CoppyCat: I don't want to be random, but did you say... fangs?

Tenshi: Yeah.

CoppyCat: Fangs as in...

Tenshi: No not vampire fangs, just those little fangs of his that he exposed when he ate that steak. This isn't a vampire storry. Though come to think of it, I did think about writing a vampire-fick. What do you all think? Should I? What pairings should I use? Put in abuse scenes? Any ideeas you have...

CoppyCat: please just send them in...

Tenshi: in a reaview, and let us know...

CoppyCat: What you think about it.

Tenshi: I really would love...

CoppyCat: to write a vapire-fick...

Tenshi: but it all depends...

CoppyCat: On what y'all guys say.

Bakura: You're doing it again!

Tenshi: Oh, sorry... Anyway, se you all soon! Bye ^_^


	8. Chapter 8!

Tenshi: Hey Minna ^_^ I am so sorry about the LOONG wait for this chapter, but like I said, school was getting on my last nerve, and I ended up with a HORRIBLE author's block., and total lack of motivation! Ok, so I had this chapter written already, but it needed a lot of editing, and like I said, total lack of motivation! However now I'm back!

Bakura: Thang Ra for that... *sarcastically*

Ryou: *is being cute*

Tenshi: *glomps him* ^_^ XD XD XD  
Oh BTW, this chapter was not yel proof-read, so there might be quite a few spelling problems in. Please try to not let that bother you, and I will come back to repair it as soon as time allows me...

All together: YamIncorporated does NOT own yu-gi-oh or anything realted to it!

Ryou: Not even abuse tendershipping, despite the number of them she has in plan...

Even after Bakura left the room, Ryou didn't move from the position he was in. In fact, the only thing moving inside the dark room, were the tears that kept falling from the boy's eyes.

In fact, though he might have appeared like being present in the room, Ryou's mind was far from there. His mind was in a world, of his darkest memories, that the thief has now reawakened. All the memories that Ryou had faught to lock up, were now once again set free, and threatening to crush the boy's mind.

Of course he had never completely forgotten or erased them, but he had tried... denying them, so as not to risk falling under theyr emotional weight.

The faces of his family, his parents, and his little sister Amane. All the mornings he'd cook for her, when theyr parents were away, or too buisy to be bothered doing it themselves. The day he had met Marik, and when his parents had decided to take the orphan in. All those stormy nights, when him and Amane would end up curled together with theyr friend in the boy's bed, or when Marik would come up to Ryou's room, already knowing that the boy would be in his bed, terrified, and having an inner debate with himself over waking his friend or not from sleep. The times when he'd stand up to the bullies threatening his sister, or when Marik would help him overcome his own bullies.

all the good times, from back before that dreaded accident took place, and destroyed his previous life, practically taking everything that he cared about away from him.

If he was ablle to move, Ryou would've screamed in frustration, but he couldn't go as far as to force his body to lay back down, or even to simply stop all those tears from flowing, creating endless rivers running down his reddened cheeks.

Then suddenly, the reality of the moment hit him.

He, had just talked up to Bakura! He had screamed, in fury, at the man who had caused him so much pain, and who was sure to cause even more in days to come. And, he wasn't punished on the spot.

His body once again started shaking in anticipation of the beating that the thief was sure to apply to him as soon as his body recovered in the smallest ammount.

Then yet another thaught crossed his mind.

All of his fresher, and larger wounds have been cleansed and bandaged. And, how did he make it home in the first place?

Did... Bakura, really find him and bring him home? And not only that, but the other also tended to his body and wounds, and went so far as to fall asleep next to his bed! Why was the thief, suddeny, showing so much... was it, compassion?

The corners of his mouth curled up into a very small smile, before his chain of thoughts was cut short by the sound of the front door opening before closing.

He froze in place.

Did Bakura come back already? How long has it been? Was it a thief? Did someone break in? What was he supposed to do now? He couldn't fight to save his life! And right now, he might just have to.

The boy tensed up as he heard footsteps climbing the stairs. He was starting to panick, and subconsciously shrank back into his bed-sheets.

/

Bakura opened the door to find the boy hiperventilating, staring at him with wide, fearful eyes. Than, to his surprise, the teen relaxed some, and shot a ~though small~ smile of... relief...?! Bakura shook it off. He growled, and took something out of the white plastic bag he was carrying, before advancing towards the bes, a scoul firm on his face.

Ryou immediately took back on the figure of fear from earlier, and tensed up waiting for Bakura to beat him, or who knows. Confusion flodded his face when in stead, the thief exherted his hand, holding something in it, seemingly handing it to him. He looked weirdly at the object, then looked at the thief before realising his mistake and quickly casting his eyes down.

"Eat!" Bakura ordered exhasperatedly before shoving the object closer to the boy, forcing him to grab a hold of it.

A sandwitch, Ryou concluded after tearing apart the wrappings.

"I...don't-r-really..." the boy mumbled incoherently and barely audibly.

"I won't hear it!" the thief dut him off harshly. "You _will_ eat this. You need to get some proteins in your organism if you want to get better. So from now on, you are going to eat, a _lot_ more meat.

"-but..."

"Nothing!" and with that, Bakura sat on the bed beside him. "You're going to do as I tell you, got it, boy?"

"Y-yes, Bakura-sama..."

The sandwitch wasn't really bad tasting or anything like that, but Ryou really didn't feel like eating anything. Unfortunately for him Bakura sit there watching him until he was finished, and the sandwitch completely gone. And soon the sun started rising outside, lighting up the room, and making Ryou realise that it was in fact very early, fact that seemed to have skipped his thaughts during all the agitation. He also noticen that the room he was in was slightly dusty, and no blood stained the carper, bed or wall. he didn't give the fact too much thought, though de did slightly wonder why the thief moved his room.

Soon he was dome eating, and he put the papers that once held the sandwitch on the bed-set.

Both boys kept sitting there in awquard silence, neither of them saying anything, and neither glancing one look towards the other one. However the silence didn't last long, as Ryou abruptly brought his hand to his mouth and sat up, dashing for the bathroom. Yet despite his intentions to get there as quickly as possible, he didn't get far, as something grabbed his hand, holding him in place. Or rather, someone did. He looked back, to find Bakura's hand holding his wrist, the small motion causing him slight panic, his eyes mirroring his fear wich Bakura didn't fail to notice. With a growl, he closed hie eyes, eyebrows moving to form a frown.

"Calm down, would you?! It won't help if you throw everything up! You have to keep the food down for it to actually count."

"Mm-hm..." the boy moaned, shaking slightly.

For a second there, he had actually forgotten about his sickness. Then, however, he felt his stomach squirm again, and tried desperately to pull out of the thief's grip as he felt the food rise again. However it was a lost cause, as Bakura was a lot stronger than him, and he knew it.

"Please..."

"Just _calm down_ already!" Bakura growled out, and effortlessly pulled the boy to sit back next to him. The sudden movement caused Ryou's stomach to spin even more, and he was sure that he was gonna throw up right then and there.

Bakura moved so that they were now pressing against each other, and Ryou felt the other's hand moving around his waist, causing him to tense up more. But then, to the boy's utmost surprise, the thief started rubbing his stomach in circles, gentlyer than the boy would have deemed the thief capable of, applying slight pressure on it every once in a while.

This was so different from any other touch the boy had ever experienced from the thief. But yet, it felt good. Surprisingly was calming. And, somehow... somehow, it felt... right.

He absenly noted that his sickness seemed to have stopped. So, that was wat that was all about... his mind thought through the thick fog that seemed to have settled over it before darkness covered it completely and he felt limp into the clutches of the sleep he so needed, but not before noticing that the courtains had been drawn sometime during that whole ordeal.

/|\/|\/|\/|\/|\/|\/|\/|\/|\/|\/|\/|\/|\/|\/|\/|\/|\/|\/|\/|\/|\/|\/|\/|\/|\/|\/|\/|\/|\/|\/

Marik: That's it? I was expecting it to be longer...

Tenshi: Well, it was suposed to be, but I had to cut it short, since it's the evening before Christmas eve, and I have to finish writing this, and two other chapters(for orhter storries) by tomorow.

Bakura: Why?

Tenshi: Because, oh your greatness, I have decided to update both my storries plus a fluffy christmas special on Christmas eve.

Ryou: Fluffy...? *gets hopeful look in hie eyes*

Tenshi: Yes Ryou, it's gonna de tendershipping fluff...

Ryou: *grinns*

Marik: So, You gonna tell them?

Tenshi: What- Oh, yeah! Thanks for reminding me ^_^ So everyone, I have opened a poll on my profile, containing the summaries for 12 different storries, that I have either started, or plan on starting. I really need your help with deciding wich one I should go with from now on, since it's really hard to concentrate on so manny storries at a thime.

Bakura: So basically you need theyr help to decide what to write next, since you're too undecisive to do it yourself...

Ma: No! - Well, maybe a bit... But I also need to know what readers want to read most! So everyone, pweeease wote on wy pwoooolll *makes puppy-dog eyes of doom*


	9. Chapter 9

**Tenshi: Kyaaaaa! . I am so sorry, my dear, dear readers! I got so lazy with this, and the evil author's block has been claiming my innocent mind-**

**Bakura: Innocent my ass! D-**

**Tenshi: Anywaaaaay- I happened to look back and check the story, and found out that I have 33 READERS! I mean, Really! I love you all, guys! You make me feel so looved! And when I went through all your reviews, too, *tears up* I couldn't help myself! *glomps all of you*You all make me feel so loved! I just had to get out there and get this chapter done. This is dedicated to all of my actual readers, who have supported me SO much through this entire process of writing this story! Also I want you all to know that I will be going back and editing all of my previous chapters after I reread them and saw my crappy writing... Either way, I don't own yu-gi-oh, it's characters, or the millenium items; This is just a fan fick, and I claim no copyrighted material as being my own, nor do I gain anything from this, besides the personal satisfaction ^.^**

After he felt the boy's breathing becoming regular, Bakura remained there for another few seconds before eventually standing up and placing the boy carefully back on the bed.

With a snarl, he exited the room.

Why in the seven levels of the underworld had he done that?! It wasn't like him to act that way at all! So then, why did he just do? What the fuck was wrong with him?

The thief punched a wall, hard, in frustration. Walking into his room, he furiously slammed the door shut behind him.

Well, at the very least he had accomplished something good during that time, he thought while sitting down on his bed and realising that it was barely morning, while the most important events seemed to have taken place during the night. He put down the stil not empty plastic bag he had been holding, and laid back, closing his eyes, though only for a few seconds before he sat back up, sighing exasperatedly, and picking the bag back up. The thief walked over to the opposite wall where he rose his hand, running it across the wall until he found the small dent he was looking for. Smirking, he used his claw-like nails to open up the small crack, moving part of the wall aside reveiling the real wall hidden behind it.

This one though, had a bunch of hangers nailed in it, some of them holding a few objects, that were of big significance for said thief.

On the one hand, said objects were made of solid gold, priceless artifacts valuing millions of dollars. However that was of no concern for our thief. The significance they held for the thief was of a completely different nature.

So that night, when he found one of the objects in the set, the one he had searched for the most, in the house of a random peasant, who probably had no idea of it's true value, it would be a complete understatement to say that he had been shocked.

He had finally found the millennium ring! The one he'd searched for for years! The item that would allow him to find any sort of dark presence, beginning with the other items. The key to finding anything he would ever need...

However the shock was soon overwritten, as soon as, upon closer inspection, he found there, the last thing he ever expected to find. One of the most powerful items to ever exist, and the most mysterious one,a dreaded creation of the darkness itself...

… The Mirror of Fate...

**Tenshi: Ok lame name I know... But I am REALLY not good with names! And also, yeah, I'm sorry it turned out this short, but besides the fact that it's fucing late and I have school tomorrow, this was originally supposed to be part of the 8th chapter, and i needed to get it out there before passing to whatever comes next... Anyway, whoever was already expecting him to find the millenium puzzle/ring in that drawer, was, I hope, at least a bit surprised by this... Trust me, said mirror has an important role there.**

**Bakura: Either way, if anyone could PLEASE help her with a better name to use for that stupid make-belief item! I don't wanna be seen reveling over something that lame...**

**Tenshi: *hits over the head* You shut up. Either way, this is just a sorry attempt to make up for all my time of absence, and promise I will do my best to try and update the next as soon as possible! Again I'm saying, I've got it mostly written down, I just have to stop stalling and write it already! And also, the re-editing comes first since I am really not happy with some of the things I did before, and all those grammar and spelling mistakes... So, look out for the improved version, minna ^.^**


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